Barmer is a district of western Rajasthan state, India.[1] Barmer is the second largest district of Rajasthan. District headquarters is in the town of Barmer. The other major towns in the district are: Balotra, Guda Malani, Baytoo, Siwana, Jasol and Chohatan. Recently, a large onshore oil field has been discovered and made functional in Barmer district.

The name Barmer is derived from the ruler Bahada Rao Parmar (Panwar) or Bar Rao Parmar (Panwar) who is said to have founded the town in the 13th century, when it was named Bahadamer ("The Hill Fort of Bahada").[citation needed]

The total area of the district is 28,387 square kilometres (10,960 sq mi).[1] The district is located between 24,58' to 26, 32'N Latitudes and 70, 05' to 72, 52' E Longitudes.[1]

The longest river in the district is the Luni. It is 480 km in length and drain into the Gulf of Kutch passing through Jalore. The variation in temperature in various seasons is quite high. In summers the temperature soars to 46 °C to 51 °C. In winters it drops to 0 °C (41 °F). Primarily Barmer district is a desert where average rainfall in a year is 277 mm. However, extreme rainfall of 549 mm rain between 16 and 25 August 2006 left many dead and huge losses due to flood in a nearby town Kawas and whole town submerged. As many as twenty new lakes formed, with six covering an area of over 10 km².

Poorly planned and rapid urbanisation has increased Barmer’s vulnerability to flash flooding. The local ecology and soil type is not equipped to deal with sudden or excessive water accumulation, which causes short- and long-term damage. Other areas suffer the gradual effects of ‘invisible disasters’, which also threaten the lives and livelihoods of the locals.[2]

Barmer district is part of the Great Indian Desert or Thar Desert. Like all other districts in the desert region, Barmer is known for its folk music and dance. The Bhopas (priest singers) are found in Barmer, who compose music in honour of the deities of the region and its war heroes. The other folk musicians come from a community called the Muslim Dholis (drummers) for most of whom this is the only means of livelihood. Langas and Manganiars are the some of these communities.

Barmer is known for its carved wooden furniture and hand block printing industry.[citation needed] The village folk have developed their desert life and their own decorative skills. The villagers have some of the most beautiful mud huts that are decorated with delicate folk motifs.

Jasol, Juna Burmer, Khed, Kiradu, Mallonath Fair (cattle fair), Meva Nagar (Nakoda), Bheemgoda, Aashotara's, Indroi,Biratra Maata temple, Chouhtan [Chouhtan is famous for a special fair named as Sai's jog or a fair belong to Sanyashi (Saint), this fair is very special because it is not organized every year in spite of that it is organized one time in a couple of years according to Nakshatras], temple Kanana (sheetla fair) Neemari, Nagneshi mata temple (nagana) are the prime attractions of the district. Tilwara cattle fair is a popular fair visited by thousands of tourists every year.

People speak mostly the Rajasthani Language, while Hindi is the official language here. English is a second or third language for many in the district, both for education and in developing tourism.

Siwana fort, in Siwana Tehsil, is a very old fort, estimated at over a thousand years old. In local language its name is Gadh Siwana.. Jogmaya Gadh Mandir, in Barmer is a very old temple of Devi Jogmaya and is popular temple specially for Navratri. Safed Aakda, Nakodaji, Juna Keeradu, Barmer Desert , Nimbdi are some other attractions in Barmer City

In 2009, the Barmer district came in news due to its large Oil basin. The British exploration company Cairn Energy is going to start the production soon in the year 2009 on the large scale. Mangala, Bhagyam and Aishwariya are the major oil fields in the district. This is India's biggest oil discovery in 22 years. Cairn works in partnership with state owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).[4] Cairn holds 70% in the field, while state-run ONGC holds the remaining 30%. In March 2010, Cairn increased oil potential from this field to 6.5 billion barrels of oil – from an earlier estimate of 4 billion barrels.[5]

Uttarlai military airbase is situated in Barmer district, Uttarlai is India's first under ground airbase. India can counter any insurgency into India by Pakistan. The Battle of Longewala (4 December 1971 – 5 December 1971) was one of the first major engagements in the Western Sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert of the Rajasthan state in India.

The Indian infantry company (reinforced) was left with the choices of either attempting to hold out until reinforced, or fleeing on foot from a mechanised infantry Pakistani force, choosing the former. The company officer commanding ensured that all his assets were correctly employed, and made the most use of his strong defensive position, and weaknesses created by errors in enemy tactics. He was also fortunate in that an Indian Air Force forward air controller was able to secure and direct aircraft in support of the post's defence until reinforcements arrived six hours later.

The Pakistani commanders made several bad decisions, including failure of strategic intelligence to foresee availability of Indian strike aircraft in the Longewala area from Uttarlai air-force base as Barmer is a border town.